Keepin' it Reel

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

2012-01-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol; Exciting, tense, straight up action. Delivers the thrills, stays relevant after 3 sequels, well done; B+

The Muppets

2012-01-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

The Muppets; Faithful to the franchise, almost to a fault. Whimsical, w/good, silly songs & cameos, but overly dramatic & slow at times; B+

Friends With Benefits

2012-01-02T19:54:00.000-05:00

Friends with Benefits; Cleverly address conventions of genre, leads have comedic & sexual chemistry, great reminder of how romcoms work. A-

The Top 10 Films of 2011

2012-01-01T15:40:00.105-05:00

Of any year end list of best and worst films, this list for 2011 is by far the most inaccurate or incomplete of any I've compiled. Partly for the fact that a quarter of the movies I watched were actually films released in 2010, that I happened to see in 2011 (as per my arbitrary rules that movies must be selected from either films I saw in theatres, new release Blu-ray/DVD, or The Movie Network premiere in the 2011 calendar year), and partly for the fact that there was a stretch of close to three months in 2011 when I didn't see a single movie. When the final strike fell on the clock of 2011, I had seen a grand total of 27 films, slightly more than last year, but feeling more like the lowest total in all my years of keeping track of my film (re)viewing. The overall quality of films in 2011 seemed rather low. If 2011's slate of 27 had to be summed up, it was a pretty vanilla crop, with nothing too awful but a rather weak bunch to select a Top 10 from.

Is this an indication that I've entered the dreaded next age bracket of the entertainment industry (are they even making films for MY demographic anymore??) or that 2011 offered very little to entice me to plop down the inflated prices for 3D versions of films I only wanted to see in 2D? Don't get me wrong. I'm very much a supporter of 3D movies, but when I have no choice as to the option of 2D or 3D and am then asked to pay for not having a choice, it is reason to rethink seeing a film theatrically, pocketing the surcharge, and taking a chance at buying the Blu-ray version a few months down the line. This seems to have become my daughter's mantra, as she doesn't like wearing the 3D glasses, and would just as well await a home release that she can watch over and over again. Even with this sentiment in mind, the number of 3D films we went to see in theatres rose from 7 in 2010 to 15 in 2011.

I recently read somewhere that movie studios are needing to counter plummeting ticket sales and rampant pirating of their films (not to mention increased home viewing options like digital downloads--R.I.P. Blockbuster Video--) by offering a slate of films that demand the cinematic experience of seeing it on the big screen. This is evidenced by the fact that some of the highest grossing films weren't as highly pirated as one would expect, because who wants to see Harry Potter 8 or Transformers 3 on a crappy bootleg with dim lighting, European subtitles, muffled sound and the occasional person walking across the screen? Not me, which is why I'll be seeing The Dark Knight Rises, The Lorax, and The Hunger Games at a cinema near you. Here's to a more exciting and entertaining selection of films in 2012. May I present the best of 27 in 2011...

10. Black Swan; Grips you from the 1st frame, would be =ly powerful as silent film, lots of crotch grabbing, intelligently crafted & creepy

9. Kung Fu Panda 2; With heart, humour & spectacular animation, this sequel does Pixar style entertainment better than Pixar of late

8. X-Men: First Class; Focus on family, history and science grounds the film in reality, makes for a tense, exciting prequel. Top Notch!

7. The Social Network; Nicely executed film buoyed by a combination of smart direction, snappy dialogue & savvy score. Very timely & talky

6. Hugo; Lovingly rendered and fantastically filmed, if tonally off-beat, Hugo is for lovers of film history and children's lit. Magical.

5. The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights; Intriguing portrait of Jack & Meg White with Rocky Canadian tour as the backdrop

4. Foo Fighters: Back and Forth; Raw, honest, invigorating exploration of band's history & present. Candid and slick, a must see for fans

3. The Fighter; Fascinating story, superbly executed. Spot-on performances evoke many emotional responses. All aspire 2 epitomy of cinema

2. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2; All out action filled climax to the series ends well, even if it has little arc of its own

and the number one film of 2011 is...

1. Rango; Animated cretins unlike anything we've seen b4, in tried n true tropes of ole westerns; humour & violence more suited for adults

Honourable mentions: Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger

Looking back over the ones I did manage to see in 2011, I can't really put too many on an honourable list or dishonourable list. Like I said above, it was pretty vanilla this year. Movies that critics seemed to loathe, like Sucker Punch, weren't really all that bad when you went into the theatre knowing what to expect. Other films like The Green Hornet, The Green Lantern, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Green Tides and Super 8 (green?) were sub par, but not entirely awful, and I'd definitely sit through them again on TMN or video. They just aren't something to write/tweet home about. So picking a five worst films wasn't exactly fair, but these are the ones that were most underwhelming.

The Top 5 Worst Films of 2011 are...

5. Bad Teacher; Traileritis strikes again, funny bits all in ads. Good cast plays well, but script offers few surprises. Worth a rental

4. African Cats; Narrative & narration (by Samuel L. Jackson) would be better served by a R-rating, as these cats do very little on screen

3. Tron: Legacy; Coolness factor is obviously the look and sound of the film, other than that, a real bore filled w/talk & walk, truly corny

2. Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil; Sequelitis strikes again! None of the charm, wit and clever asides of the original, pathetically lame

and the worst film of 2011 is...

1. Yogi Bear; Incredibly fake looking, unfunny & devoid of humour, originality or charm. Even worse w/o obvious 3D gimmickry. Craptacular

Dishonourable mention: Gnomeo & Juliet

All in all, it was a rather sad year for children's entertainment. Pixar has been swallowed by Disney and is pumping out uninspired sequels while the mouse house offers their best films revisited in 3D format only to prove that original fare can't quite compare. Rango is number one for the reason that it offered some spectacular animation from Industrial Light & Magic's first foray into the genre while providing a story that, though based on tropes, really stood out as original and inventive. Apart from that, the animated films were satisfying, but uninspired (Hop, Rio).

Fittingly, last year I foretold of Yogi Bear's crapiness in my Top 10 of 2010 yet failed to heed my own advice. Follow me @joejameskireel so you don't make the same mistake(s) I did.

Cowboys & Aliens

2011-12-29T21:13:00.001-05:00

Cowboys & Aliens; Exactly what its title implies, genre mash-up delivers w/ absolutely NO surprises. Fun, yet formulaic & underwhelming. B-

Hugo

2011-12-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

Hugo; Lovingly rendered and fantastically filmed, if tonally off-beat, Hugo is for lovers of film history and children's lit. Magical. B+

Yogi Bear

2011-09-17T15:30:00.000-04:00

Yogi Bear; Incredibly fake looking, unfunny & devoid of humour, originality or charm. Even worse w/o obvious 3D gimmickry. Craptacular; D-

Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-08-28T20:15:00.000-04:00

Captain America: The First Avenger; Solid acting from Evans, Atwell, Jones, Weaving & Tucci make this the best "true" movie from Marvel; A-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two

2011-07-15T01:58:00.001-04:00

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2; All out action filled climax to the series ends well, even if it has little arc of its own; A-

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth

2011-07-05T09:51:00.000-04:00

Foo Fighters: Back and Forth; Raw, honest, invigorating exploration of band's history & present. Candid and slick, a must see for fans; A

Bad Teacher

2011-07-03T21:48:00.000-04:00

Bad Teacher; Traileritis strikes again, funny bits all in ads. Good cast plays well, but script offers few surprises. Worth a rental; C+

Super 8

2011-06-21T21:38:00.002-04:00

Super 8; Average B monster movie made special by top caliber direction & nostalgic feel. Whimsy & charm, could easily have gone wrong; B

Green Lantern

2011-06-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

Green Lantern; Simply OK. No fault of Reynolds or F/X, but rather a too dark & serious tone that takes itself too seriously. Lacks fun; B-

X-Men: First Class

2011-06-13T20:18:00.000-04:00

X-Men: First Class; Focus on family, history and science grounds the film in reality, makes for a tense, exciting prequel. Top Notch!; A-

Kung Fu Panda 2

2011-06-04T20:17:00.000-04:00

Kung Fu Panda 2; With heart, humour & spectacular animation, this sequel does Pixar style entertainment better than Pixar of late; A-

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011-05-28T20:10:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides; swashbuckling vs. Blackbeard lends darker tones, fresh faces fit well w/Depp & Rush; worthy B+

Thor

2011-05-19T20:06:00.002-04:00

Thor; Cleverly humanizes the hero to connect with audiences. Great action and set pieces overcome any story shortcomings. Excelsior!; B+

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil

2011-05-01T20:54:00.000-04:00

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil; Sequelitis strikes again! None of the charm, wit and clever asides of the original, pathetically lame; D+

African Cats

2011-04-26T21:22:00.000-04:00

African Cats; Narrative & narration (by Samuel L. Jackson) would be better served by a R-rating, as these cats do very little on screen; C-

Tron Legacy

2011-04-16T19:09:00.001-04:00

Tron: Legacy; Coolness factor is obviously the look and sound of the film, other than that, a real bore filled w/talk & walk, truly corny; C-

Rio

2011-04-16T19:06:00.000-04:00

Rio; Beautifully renders the city itself, Nigel steals the show w/hilarious song, fun when the music is playing, lame otherwise, rent it; B-

Hop

2011-04-02T23:29:00.002-04:00

Hop; Cute kiddy fun w/eye popping colourific candy scenery. Humour & story no smarter than a child could handle, but great fun 4 families; B

Sucker Punch

2011-03-26T23:21:00.002-04:00

Sucker Punch; If only all music video games could look as good as they cost. Fantasy eye candy genre bending imagery without complexity; B-

The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights

2011-03-19T13:38:00.000-04:00

The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights; Intriguing portrait of Jack & Meg White with Rocky Canadian tour as the backdrop; B+

Gnomeo & Juliet

2011-03-15T19:54:00.002-04:00

Gnomeo & Juliet; Pint sized fun for little ones, but little for adults to hang on to. Harmless misadventures with decent casting. C+

Rango

2011-03-06T17:46:00.002-05:00

Rango; Animated cretins unlike anything we've seen b4, in tried n true tropes of ole westerns; humour & violence more suited for adults; A-

The Social Network

2011-02-06T16:04:00.004-05:00

The Social Network; Nicely executed film buoyed by a combination of smart direction, snappy dialogue & savvy score. Very timely & talky; A-

Grown Ups

2011-02-02T15:46:00.001-05:00

Grown Ups; Some very BIG laughs, and many that fall flat. Great cast that'd be more fun to hear them riff than try to save this script; B-

The Green Hornet

2011-01-14T16:01:00.001-05:00

The Green Hornet; Overly violent comic book fun, Kato kicks @$$, Rogen supplies laughs, Gondry & crew give style, but still lags @ times; B

The Fighter

2011-01-12T15:57:00.001-05:00

The Fighter; Fascinating story, superbly executed. Spot-on performances evoke many emotional responses. All aspire 2 epitomy of cinema; A

Black Swan

2011-01-11T15:53:00.000-05:00

Black Swan; Grips you from the 1st frame, would be =ly powerful as silent film, lots of crotch grabbing, intelligently crafted & creepy; A-

Top 10 of 2010

2011-01-01T12:32:00.052-05:00

Top 10 lists seem to be such an odd and curious item of pop culture. So gregarious yet necessary at the same time. i mean, truly, how can one film be considered "better" than another, when it all comes down to are a series of subjective components? For example, a favoured genre will definitely appeal more than another. Or one's time and place of viewing, along with the company (or solitude) involved. A person's moment in life can seriously affect the way a film is interpreted, enjoyed and connected to at some level, (as evidenced by the run of children's animated films that have dominated my most recent Top 10 lists).

That being said, there's often no denying whether a film is good or bad. Even if we see only 24 movies (which was the number of movies i saw in 2010 in theatres, on new release Blu-ray/DVD, or first run Movie Network premieres, by far the lowest amount i've seen in all my time writing reviews), we can usually agree on the good merits of a movie, while lambasting the worst of the worst. But to say one film ranks higher than another, is just pure silliness. SO without further adieu, please enjoy my pretentiousness, the Top 10 Films of 2010...

10. Salt; Crazy action Bourne style, Jolie provides refreshing twist. Bring on more amazing ludicrous MacGyver stunts in this franchise to be.

9. Tangled; Made for the Stage w/classic Disney musical numbers mixed with a bit of Spamalot fun. Sweeping action & spectacular animation.

8. How to Train Your Dragon; well worth the time spent, visually entertaining, great work on the dragon varieties, good for the whole fam.

7. Alice in Wonderland; typical Burton, in both a good way and bad way, neat visuals and set design, loses steam at points, but lots o fun.

6. Magic and Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals; fascinating doc on 2 of b-ball's greats, no matter where your loyalties lie, you will root for both!

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World; Edgar Wright superbly spoofed two genres, now has created his own: Video Game Comic Book genre, FANTASTIC!!

4. It Might Get Loud; Really cool premise, purely awesome entertainment to see Page, Edge and Jack White sit around, play and talk music.

3. Despicable Me; Fun, but a bit slow to start, good voice work (Borat springs to mind), silly minions steal the movie, great music track.

2. Exit Through the Gift Shop; Insanely brilliant, bizarre & artistically profound. Thought provoking view of street art from many lenses.

and the number one film of 2010 is...

1. Inception; A dream come true for lovers of fine films, filled with novel ideas, visual wonderment. A real heist of the mind. Stunning!

Honourable mentions: Avatar, Oceans, Babies, The Kids are Alright, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part One, The Other Guys, Iron Man 2

The fact that i only managed to watch 24 movies in 2010 may reflect a rather poor year of offerings from the world of film. Or it may just suggest i am a little more discerning in my movie going, or basically way too busy to sit down and enjoy a film. A by-product of this is the fact that even though 2010 won't be remembered as a banner year in the movie industry, the number of real stinkers, movies that were plain outright horrible, was actually down from year's past. Maybe i managed to miss them, or maybe i just wouldn't let my daughter's whims be fulfilled (i'm looking at you, Beverly Hills Chihuahua), but the following five worst films pale in comparison to the atrocities that have made up the worst films in the past. Each one has some redeeming quality, and appear here as the worst 5 of the 24 films i did see.

The Top 5 Worst films of 2010 are...

5. The Sorcerer's Apprentice; Cage and Molina make magic happen, until it all goes POOF!! in the 2nd half, Bruckheimer formula blows again.

4. Couples Retreat; Great to see Favreau and Vaughn together again, some big laughs, beautiful locale, but disappointingly unfunny overall.

3. Toy Story 3; Fitting farewell for the toys, even though it's a full length video game designed 2 sell more merchandise. Pixar sells out.

2. Nanny McPhee Returns; British tripe w/an overly intrusive score and actors i'd rather be watching in Harry Potter, cloyingly annoying.

and the Worst movie of 2010 is...

1. Gulliver's Travels; Lame, overblown, wastes advantage of 3D to show off scale F/X, feel sorry for Blunt & Segel, Black gives a few laughs.

Please feel free to leave a rebuttal, or check the thumbs up/thumbs down/agree/disagree boxes. Let the debate begin...

Gulliver's Travels

2010-12-28T23:56:00.001-05:00

Gulliver's Travels; Lame, overblown, wastes advantage of 3D to show off scale F/X, feel sorry for Blunt & Segel, Black gives a few laughs; C-

The Other Guys

2010-12-22T23:53:00.003-05:00

The Other Guys; Great cast of comedians, LOVE seeing Keaton back in action, Eva=fabulous, plot taken too seriously, great credit reel; B+

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One

2010-12-18T17:08:00.000-05:00

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1; Most grown up of the series, but also boring at times; good scenes w/nice set up for part 2; B+

Tangled

2010-12-05T19:55:00.001-05:00

Tangled; Made for the Stage w/classic Disney musical numbers mixed with a bit of Spamalot fun. Sweeping action & spectacular animation; A-

Exit Through the Gift Shop

2010-12-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

Exit Through the Gift Shop; Insanely brilliant, bizarre & artistically profound. Thought provoking view of street art from many lenses; A+

The Kids Are All Rright

2010-12-01T23:30:00.001-05:00

The Kids Are All Right; Very honest & emotionally savvy portrayal of family relations. Treats all perspectives respectfully. Great acting; A

Iron Man 2

2010-11-20T11:25:00.001-05:00

Iron Man 2; Every bit as good as the original, with some great supporting players. Funny, light, great sound and action. Clever sequel; A-

Megamind

2010-11-06T19:04:00.001-04:00

Megamind; Would've been cooler as live action w/that cast. Daughter said, "The funny parts have ended and now we're just watching, right?"; B

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

2010-10-02T18:51:00.000-04:00

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole; Action packed bit of animation, like Lord of the Rings meets 300 meets Endor with Owls; B+

Couples Retreat

2010-09-07T18:38:00.001-04:00

Couples Retreat; Great to see Favreau and Vaughn together again, some big laughs, beautiful locale, but disappointingly unfunny overall; C+

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

2010-08-25T17:41:00.000-04:00

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World; Edgar Wright superbly spoofed two genres, now has created his own: Video Game Comic Book genre, FANTASTIC!!; A-

Nanny McPhee Returns

2010-08-22T18:54:00.000-04:00

Nanny McPhee Returns; British tripe w/an overly intrusive score and actors i'd rather be watching in Harry Potter, cloyingly annoying; D+

Babies

2010-08-22T13:27:00.000-04:00

Babies; 4 to be exact, quaint study on Mongolian, African, Japanese & American birth 2 tot time span w/o narration, images do the talking; B

The Royal Tenenbaums

2010-08-11T19:04:00.001-04:00

Just rewatched this the other night. The Royal Tenenbaums; Holds up beautifully. i love the soundtrack, as much as the attention 2 detail, brilliant direction & stellar cast; A+

Salt

2010-07-31T00:24:00.000-04:00

Salt; Crazy action Bourne style, Jolie provides refreshing twist. Bring on more amazing ludicrous MacGyver stunts in this franchise to be; B

Toy Story 3

2010-07-23T20:14:00.002-04:00

Toy Story 3; Fitting farewell for the toys, even though it's a full length video game designed 2 sell more merchandise. Pixar sells out; B+

Inception

2010-07-21T19:42:00.002-04:00

Inception; A dream come true for lovers of fine films, filled with novel ideas, visual wonderment. A real heist of the mind. Stunning!; A+

Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals

2010-07-17T20:43:00.004-04:00

Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals; fascinating doc on 2 of b-ball's greats, no matter where your loyalties lie, you will root for both!; A

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

2010-07-14T16:37:00.004-04:00

The Sorcerer's Apprentice; Cage and Molina make magic happen, until it all goes POOF!! in the 2nd half, Bruckheimer formula blows again; C-

Despicable Me

2010-07-10T15:05:00.000-04:00

Despicable Me; Fun, but a bit slow to start, good voice work (Borat springs to mind), silly minions steal the movie, great music track; B+

Oceans

2010-04-24T19:34:00.002-04:00

Oceans; More stunning and otherworldly than any F/X summer movie you'll see. Vibrant & beautiful, spectacular imagery. A must see!; A

It Might Get Loud

2010-04-17T14:25:00.001-04:00

It Might Get Loud; Really cool premise, purely awesome entertainment to see Page, Edge and Jack White sit around, play and talk music; A

How To Train Your Dragon

2010-04-03T13:53:00.002-04:00

How to Train Your Dragon; well worth the time spent, visually entertaining, great work on the dragon varieties, good for the whole fam; A-

Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-12T17:15:00.001-05:00

Alice in Wonderland; typical Burton, in both a good way and bad way, neat visuals and set design, loses steam at points, but lots o fun; A-

Avatar

2010-01-03T23:13:00.001-05:00

Avatar; stunning visually, same sweeping scale as Titanic and as much fun as T2 and Aliens; still a very hokey story w/goofy dialogue; A-

Trying Something New, Something Different

2010-01-02T13:55:00.000-05:00

As the reviews seem to be too time consuming for me to write on a consistent basis and yet people still seem interested in hearing an opinion or two, i am attempting something new, something different for Keepin' it Reel in 2010.

Twitter sized reviews, 140 characters in length, which should come across as more immediate, more timely reviews, whittled down to quick, bite sized nuggets of "should I or shouldn't I see it" suggestions for recent films in theatres or new releases on DVD, Blu-Ray or The Movie Network.

Let me know what you think, thumbs up or thumbs down, by leaving a comment. i figure it is better than nothing, as i was considering abandoning this blog altogether.

The Top 10 Films of 2009

2010-01-01T23:47:00.000-05:00

Once again, it was all about the kid in 2009, and thankfully so. 2009 was a banner year for kids films, with some of the best adaptations and original creations of the decade targeting the kiddie crowd. It was a year when it seemed that filmmakers and studios no longer made movies based on children's books FOR today's children, but rather for those of a certain age who grew up ON those wonderful picture books and who quite possibly have children of their own. For me, it was a wonderful year to have my movie going choices dictated by the small fry, as there were several times we left the theatre, that i was sure that i enjoyed the film just as much as she did, if not more. i managed to see 33 films this year, 24 during their theatrical run, the rest as new DVD releases or The Movie Network premieres. As the number of films i manage to see each year continues to decrease, the likelihood of this being my last Top 10 list increases.

With no further ado, here are the Top 10 Films of 2009...

10. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs/Where the Wild Things Are

As i alluded to above, children's titles were superbly adapted this year, and these two films probably share only that fact in common. One equally sunny and light, the other brooding and dark, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Where the Wild Things Are share the distinction of adapting award winning picture books with very magical imagery and minimal text. To expand upon the source material to give us an amazingly funny, 1980s referencing film on one hand and a shockingly cerebral and introspective psychoanalysis on the other, just goes to show the creativity behind these films. While Meatballs abandoned the book's striking black and white line drawings for a burst of technicolour and a 3D smorgasbord in your face (sucka!!) to appeal to both children and adults, the Wild Things opted to not only stick to the strange and scary setting, but to delve deeper into the darkness of where our wildest emotions lurk. Vastly different approaches with equally awesome results. Cloudy makes the cut of the Top 10 for its easily re-watchable humour and spectacle, whereas the Wild Things makes it on the sheer audacity of Spike Jonze to fore go crafting a crowd pleaser, and making a film memorable enough that you don't need to watch it again.

9. Inglourious Basterds

i was going to put Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in this, the ninth position, but for some reason i returned to this re-imagining of World War II by Quentin Tarantino, despite my (possibly unfounded?) disappointment when initially seeing it in theatres. However, i think through time i've come to find the sequences and events in this film far more memorable than the whole, which is exactly the opposite of my present thoughts about Harry's sixth outing. i could eternally internally debate this decision, but for Christoph Waltz's menacing performance as Col. Hans Landa alone, this film exists on hundreds of year's best lists. Every scene he is in is a captivating classic in the making, right up there with last year's amazing performance of The Joker by Heath Ledger. Yet beyond Waltz's award winning screen time, there are some stellar set pieces that build through dialogue and pacing and direction in a way that Tarantino has made his trademark. i still don't think it's one of Tarantino's best films, but it certainly is one of the year's best.

8. Up

A lot of praise has been heaped upon this film, but like Inglourious Basterds, i don't think it rests in the best of its creators' oeuvre, in this case, the amazing Pixar studios. Not as good as WALL-E, or Ratatouille, but certainly as ambitious as those two stellar films, Up suffers from a harsh tone and dastardly villain that loses some children in the audience, while offering us a vista of computer generated imagery that is lush and beautiful, but not as stunning as Finding Nemo's seascapes and the ground level viewpoint of Remy the rat and the toys in Toy Story. Why does it seem i am critiquing this film when its inclusion on my Top 10 of 2009 presupposes i should be praising it? Only to defend its lower than expected ranking. For my money, the first 15 minutes of Up can be found in the Top 10 film montages of all-time, not just 2009. Show me a human on this planet that doesn't cry in those first few minutes of marriage montage and i'll show you someone without a soul.

7. Earth

What is more amazing than any CGI blockbuster out there? Why, our very own planet, captured in celluloid in all its awe inspiring beauty. Nothing is more amazing, incredible, or fantastic to look at than Earth's splendor. The next best thing to experiencing it yourself, and yet the way the cameras take us up close to fabulous destinations across the globe, you might even question whether or not it's better than viewing it firsthand.

6. The Hangover

Nothing is more satisfying than a gut busting, original and irreverent comedy, for adults. The fact that this was a surprise smash hit only speaks to the dearth of such films year in and year out. i usually reserve a spot for the year's best comedy in my annual top ten lists, often near the bottom. The Hangover was just that much more funnier than anything else, it managed to creep up to number six. Hopefully this one doesn't get sequelled to death and gets to stand on its own merits. i'd rather watch this one again and again than a thousand lame Hollywood sequels.

5. One Week

Initially, i didn't want to oversell this movie. As much as i LOVE to watch Canadian films, i find that most of your movie going public doesn't find Telefilm funded fare as fulfilling and self-reflective as i do. And i certainly didn't want to be one of those critics that over hypes and praises a small indie film so people end up watching it by mass recommendation, only to end up hating it for not living up to the hype (see several of previous year's Top 5 worst films). However, there is no denying that there is a shared Canadian consciousness, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, Americanize it, or degrade it. Nowhere is Canadian film at its best than when it is being unapologetically Canadian, without being self-deprecating. Which is why i've catapulted this film from its original B+ grade to roost amongst the year's best. Several repeat viewings while the film was on rotation on The Movie Network have reconfirmed my love of the odd over sized location shooting across Canada, the subdued acting of Joshua Jackson, and the exhilarating narration of the impeccable Campbell Scott. A wonderfully small film, that packs the massive beauty of Canada into its frame.

4. Sherlock Holmes

From small Canadiana to overblown English adventure. Sherlock Holmes was surprisingly refreshing, fun, and as my wife pointed out, not unlike watching Wilson and House (from TV) starring in an action adventure. The bromantic relationship of Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. elevated this film from your average summer fare, to winter's best Christmas treat. Guy Ritchie returned to form, and undeservedly took a lot of criticism for his take on the scholarly sleuth. i personally liked the slo-mo dissection of how Holmes thinks his way through a Jujitsu battle, the tough guy banter and the damsel that can't be trusted. Casting worked well and the subsequent installments in the franchise are entirely welcome at this point. Holmes truly delivered an unexpected punch and continues Downey's well deserved streak of box office and critical success. The year's best guilty pleasure adventure.

3. Fantastic Mr. Fox

At times throughout the year, this one sat solidly at number one in my mind of the year's best films. Another fine example from 2009 of how an auteur took a treasured children's tome and turned it into art house family fun. How Wes Anderson managed to take Roald Dahl's simple tale of a thieving fox and three nasty farmers and turn it into an unmistakably existential and organic stop motion animation children's movie for adults is beyond me. i'm just content going along for the ride. Stellar voice work by familiar Anderson cast mates, along with slightly odd musical choices and sidetracking plot points make it quirky enough to nestle directly amongst the effervescent whimsy and charm that exists in the very spirit of Dahl's work, (underneath the layers of despicable wit and misery). A triumph for fans of both of these innovative and emotionally honest auteurs.

2. Watchmen

A near perfect adaptation of one of the greatest graphic novels of all-time. How's that for superlatives? What Watchmen has going for it is the expectation of a sub-par rendering of the Alan Moore classic tale of ordinary everyday people in the role of "super"heroes and the impending doom of Armageddon. Instead, director Zack Snyder nails it in every aspect; tone, pacing, casting, and overall visual appeal. The repeated criticism of this film? Too faithful to the source. If you ask me, that's a ringing endorsement. Watchmen received my only A+ grade in 2009, as it delivered on everything it promised in its entirety. So why isn't it number one? With its two and a half hour plus running time and graphic sex and violence, it's a bit difficult to revisit in my household from start to finish. Though, whenever it happens to be on, it's near impossible to not get sucked in and watch at least a few chapters. Which brings us to...

The number one film of 2009 is...

1. Coraline

It says a lot for a film to leave a lasting impression throughout the year, that even though it was one of the first films i saw in 2009, it certainly cemented itself in the top spot right from February. With the peerless hand and mind of Henry Selick charting the course for Coraline, an adaptation of yet another beloved (at least in this household) children's novel by Neil Gaiman, expectations were definitely high for this project. To say it surpassed anything in my imagination would be an understatement. It is one of those rare occurrences where the film outdoes the source material. This film definitely exceeds the book, by way of spectacular stop motion animation and smart, cinematically necessary alterations to the original material. The voice work is stellar and the visuals outstanding. Just when you think the film can't get any more technically marvelous, it conjures up an ARTitecture (i'm copyrighting that hybrid of art and architecture right now) that is wondrous to look at in 2D or 3D or any D for that matter. In a year that will be defined as the year 3D films took over the landscape, and children's films explored and implored themselves with adult themes using all sorts of imagination and animation, Coraline stands atop all the examples as the pinnacle of movie making in 2009.

Honourable mentions: Ghost Town, Let the Right One In, Choke, Slumdog Millionaire, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Taken, Star Trek, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Push, Bruno, The Princess and the Frog

And now, the 5 Worst movies of 2009 are...

5. Funny People

A case of misleading trailers or advertising? Or just a tonal disaster? Or maybe a simple misnomer? Or all of the above? i have yet to revisit this disappointing entry in the string of Apatow releases, and may find it more to my liking upon a second viewing, which i am more than willing to give. However, at first glance it promised a funny look at fame, comedy, and relationships, grounded in real life struggles of divorce and disease. Instead of finding the humour amongst the strife, the moments of joy in life, it blandly took a dull and dry stance, wasting the talent of the cast with a script that didn't know what it wanted to be.

4. Inkheart

A horribly botched adaptation that would have been as wonderful as those children's book inspired films found in the Top 10 above, had the motive of the filmmakers been to create a faithful adaptation, and not a CGI effects film to kick start a mega franchise. When will studios learn that attention to characters and storytelling is what makes a film work? Didn't The Dark Knight teach the studios anything? Instead of banking on the F/X to spur the next Harry Potter, Inkheart needs a clever and deft hand that captures the tone and spirit of the book, while exploring how those elements can reveal themselves on celluloid. MAJOR disappointment. Don't let the film fool you, and READ THE BOOK!!

3. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

It's becoming a tired story, but if we keep buying tickets, they'll keep making lame sequels. There's something that's always been off about this franchise, and at times it succeeds, but most of the time, it just causes some head scratching. Now, in retrospect, this film epitomizes a disturbing trend; the mega 3Ding of everything. Roger Ebert makes every opportunity to denounce 3D technology, and like most of his opinions these days, he's way off the mark. It's not the technology that's bad, it's the use. Just like modern day special effects, if the 3D does little to serve the story or the film making, then it's not worth the money spent on it. Both Coraline and Up used 3D to enhance the viewer's enjoyment of the story line and give more depth both literally and figuratively to their films. Ice Age 3 gained a few gimmicks and gags, nothing more. But if we keep buying tickets, they'll keep making lame 3D films.

2. Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen

It's amazing when a sequel outperforms the original. Louder, dumber, even more craptacular, Transformers 2 is as incomprehensible and unforgettable as its lame subtitle. For awhile there, i thought i was watching Terminator 3 mixed with The Phantom Menace. Talk about mining the depths of unholy injustices to sci-fi franchises. i can't wait until the third one to see just how lame this crime to 80s toy nostalgia can get. What's that? No Megan Fox? There goes two less reasons to watch the third installment. Rent G.I. Joe instead.

And the worst movie of 2009 is...

1. The Time Traveler's Wife

There has to be something inherently wrong with a film when the projector itself wants to repeatedly attempt to destroy the reel. If only the print had melted before i'd invested any amount of time on this one, a boring and creepy attempt at a love that knows no bounds. In fact, i wish the lead character knew some boundaries when it comes to time traveling to meet six year old girls to tell them they should love him long time. It certainly couldn't be the heat from the romantic leads that led to the combustion of the celluloid. It's more likely it was the actors themselves, trying to destroy any evidence of this film existing on their resumes. At least i got a free movie out of the deal. And that's about all i can say in favour of this film.

Dishonourable mentions: Fortunately, there weren't a lot of truly horrible films i stumbled upon this year. Even those that were in the "C" range, were typical of their genre expectations. In fact, there were more pleasant surprises than there were disappointments. Let's hope 2010 gives us more of the same, less of the lame.

Sherlock Holmes

2009-12-28T16:51:00.003-05:00

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey Jr.,Jude Law,Rachel McAdams,Mark Strong

Running Time: 2h 08min

Wonderfully witty, joyfully energetic, and cleverly coy, Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes is an exciting and funny take on the old British sleuth. The film has (wrongfully) been getting poor reviews from critics that seem less impressed with Ritchie's style than anything else. i, for one, thoroughly enjoy Ritchie's brand of movie making, and think that his style has married well with Arthur Conan Doyle's character. Centering the film's personalities in a bromantic quandary really give the film a hearty amount of laughs. As my wife pointed out, the strained love-hate relationship between Holmes and Watson is not unlike the comedic treat of watching House and Wilson on television. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are more than up to the task, playing their bromance with pure relish. And unlike many Hollywood directors, Ritchie is equally adept at comedy and action on a blockbuster scale. Though the film is not without its faults, (McAdams is kind of lost in the film, but set up well for future installments, and probably one of the few female leads that can hold her own with Downey), i can't help but reiterate that it is because of Ritchie's flavour, and not in spite of his presence, that Sherlock Holmes succeeds. Bring on copious sequels and installments, provided they are as pleasurable as this one!!

Grade: A

The Princess and The Frog

2009-12-23T21:42:00.005-05:00

Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker

Starring: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Cody, Jim Cummings

Running Time: 1h 37min

It's almost surreal to think that an African American was voted president of the United States before one was anointed princess in a Disney film, but it is certainly a sign of the times. Oddly enough, this momentous occasion comes in the form of traditional, two dimensional hand drawn animation. Lovingly rendered, The Princess and the Frog feels like a film Disney should have made a few decades ago.

Watching this film evoked a feeling of nostalgia, even from someone such as myself, who didn't really live and breathe Disney as a child. In all honesty, I was always a fan of the "animal" animated Disney films (Robin Hood, Fox and the Hound, The Jungle Book) and not one for the princess tales. Which is probably why I enjoyed this film. A majority of the film involves no humans, but rather two frogs, a trumpet playing crocodile, and a forlorn firefly. These characters are not all that memorable, meaning they won't merchandise as well as Disney would like them to.

Yet the classic animation styled in the manner of the era, coupled with the jazzy soundtrack straight from its New Orleans setting, give this film its memorable moments. The music bounces along with a rhythm stylistically matched by the animation. The feeling is not unlike The Aristocats or Cousin Louie's "I Wanna Be Like You" number from The Jungle Book; you can't help but tap and move your feet and get into the groove. I truly enjoyed the musical numbers and the animation that went along with them. However, when the music stops, the story lingers with little humour or suspense or even a sense of adventure; all elements that we've come to expect from a decade's worth of Pixar as our animation diet. (Studio secret: We LOVE Pixar because of the stories they concoct; the animation just happens to be equally as good and up to par with the stories themselves.)

The Princess and the Frog is a bit of a letdown when it comes to having a memorable villain. The entire voodoo premise could be downright frightening but Dr. Facilier (who thought up that name??) isn't as menacing as he could be. His creepy shadow buddies seem straight out of Oogie Boogie's spooky repertoire, but the doctor himself doesn't have enough cojones to place him in the classic villain Parthenon. All in all, the movie certainly is reminiscent of Disney gems of old, but definitely not worthy of the Disney greats that graced us in the early nineties.

Grade: B+

Fantastic Mr. Fox

2009-12-06T13:23:00.003-05:00

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe

Running Time: 1h 27min

Seriously. How lucky are we? How lucky are we to have studios with enough guts, in these strange economic times, to green light and release auteur films based on children's books? Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox is NOT your standard, run of the mill children's fare. Indeed, I would argue that this film was definitely not made FOR children, but rather for adults who read Roald Dahl AS children. Much like Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are released last month, this is an adaptation faithful to the very core and essence of the literary work, exploring psychological/philosophical territory while at the same time conveying whimsy and fantastical imagination in a way books only can.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is painstakingly created through stop motion animation, with the detail that Anderson puts into all of his films. The foxes look furry, the countryside looks stunning and Boggis, Bunce, and Bean look like the worst, no good, mean cuss, sons of cusses you've ever seen. The energy is wonderful, from the initial chicken heist to the frantic digging getaway to the film's finale. There is plenty for kids to love, but much more for adults to enjoy.

The voice cast is simply some of the best actors around, performing at their best. Familiar Anderson alumni return with great effect, notably Schwartzman, Murray, Dafoe and Wilson. Yet it's newcomers to Anderson territory, Clooney, Strep and Gambon, that provide the heart, soul and evil, respectively, that gives this film an emotional punch and an air of suspense.

Quirky as ever, Anderson adds his own elements to expand the text to feature length size. These provide some odd, bizarre, yet strangely enjoyable tidbits. From whackbat to the mysterious wolf, or new characters like Kristofferson and the Cider cellar rat, each and every addition just brings about more Dahl like pleasures. Anderson truly understands his craft, and demonstrates a love for Dahl's work in the process. Both are completely original, one of kind creators of a world that is so wonderfully depicted, it's hard not to enjoy returning to them again and again and again. I'm sure repeat viewings of this film will reveal more fantastic elements missed the first time around. Which is every bit as special as the relationship we had with Dahl's books when we were young.

Grade: A

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-17T19:37:00.005-04:00

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Starring:Max Records, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Paul Dano, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper, Lauren Ambrose

Running Time: 1h 34min

Excitement for the marrying of the wonderfully imaginative Maurice Sendak picture book with the bizarre and cerebral directorial efforts of Spike Jonze made "Where the Wild Things Are" one of the most anticipated films of the year for me (Wes Anderson's adaptation of Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox is right up there). The previews set to the music of Arcade Fire gave me goosebumps. Then the previews of the talking wild things threw me for a loop and i was longing for a silent film.

Which is why recommending this film, which i definitely do, has to come with a warning. In order to enjoy this film, i think you need to enter the theatre without any preconceived notions of what you are about to see, or want to see, for that matter. For fans of Jonze, this should come as no surprise. He never fails to surprise, equally by what we see, but sometimes more importantly, by what we don't get.

This is NOT a movie for kids. BUT i took my kid to it. (She liked it. Or, in her words, "It was crazy a little bit!") This is NOT a typical adaptation of a kids story book (though some would argue it is a book much loved by the adults who have grown up having read it themselves as children). BUT it is a beautifully adapted piece of work, true to the tone and feel of Sendak's work. It is NOT a special effects extravaganza. BUT it is full of technical wizardry. It's a contradiction that i am hesitant to recommend, because i think it settles in under your skin and forces a personal response from each and every viewer. Which is exactly why it can be considered a positive triumph of a film.

As with most of Jonze's films, Where the Wild Things Are is probably going to get better with each viewing. Once the awe inducing visceral quality of the gigantic monsters starts to wear off (if ever it does--the picture book is still a hoot to look at), there is an emotional resonance that will continue to echo and haunt the film. Indeed, each wild thing seems to inhabit an element of a child's pscyhe, or at least a troubled, angst riddled child with personal demons. The voice cast is excellent, every step of the way, negating any fears i had that talking wild things would ruin the movie. O'Hara, Gandolfini and Ambrose are particularly great, lending their personal warmth, humour, and emotional sincerity in spades.

It's certainly a film filled with sadness, and an amazing understanding of the impact simple events have on children. True to the picture book's heart, the film steps deep inside the child's imagination and presents itself, in its entirety, from the point of view of Max. Jonze achieves this with crafty camera work, sparse yet solid dialogue, and fantastic imagery. Yet, unlike the candy coated eye popping imagination of say, Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, this world is very dark, quite gloomy, and filled with anger. You will certainly leave the theatre feeling bummed, not your typical response from a child centric movie. However, it's the refusal to view children as anything but complex, imaginative, emotional creatures that gives Sendak's work a poignant beauty and wonder all its own. Jonze can confidently claim another faithful and fantastic adaptation to his oeuvre.

Grade: A-

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

2009-09-28T20:14:00.003-04:00

Directed by: Phil Lord and Chris Miller

Starring: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, Bruce Campbell, Mr. T, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris

Running Time: 1h 30min

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of those rare films that manages to deliver to audience expectations, no matter what age, while also offering something a little extra and unexpected. No, I'm not talking about the plot, which is the least developed aspect of the film. No twists or turns or surprises coming out of this meatball. What I am talking about is a plethora of unexpected sight gags, 80s references, and clever odes to the original source material.

Sony hasn't made that many animated movies, but the ones they have offered (Monster House, Surf's Up) have been original, clever material that tickles the parent as much as it entertains the child. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is every bit as delightful to look at as the original children's book it sparked from. Reading the book is all about gazing at the pictures in awe as streets are filled with spaghetti and a bulldozer modified to look like a dinner plate and utensils picks up mounds and mounds of delicious treats. It's one of those great books that you can read faster than you want to turn the page; the images are that scrumptious. Well, the movie, in glorious 3D no less, is spectacular to look at. The animators chose some excellent angles which are truly accentuated and enhanced in 3D. Thankfully, they didn't go overboard with food flying at your face, as the 3D serves the animation and artwork, and is not used in a gimmicky way.

The voice cast is very adept at comedy, really making some lines pop, while not being too distracting like some animation studio's use of stunt casting (yes, I'm talking about YOU, Dreamworks!). You will find yourself laughing at seemingly run of the mill lines, due to the excellent timing and line delivery of several SNL vets. However, the best element of the film for me was the sly yet very rewarding placement of iconic 80s images. Blink and you'll miss some of them, but there's no mistaking the timeless appeal of Mr. T.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs was a very welcome surprise and deserves a second viewing. This is one of the first films this year that I will probably purchase when it comes out on BluRay; for my daughter of course!

Grade: B+

Inglourious Basterds

2009-08-30T23:13:00.005-04:00

Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Starring:Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, B.J. Novak

Running Time: 2h 33min

i'm not one for the war movie genre much, but if i'm going to sit through two and half hours of World War II make believe, let it be one supplied by Quentin Tarantino. True to his violent, yet conversationally driven films of his oeuvre, Inglorious Basterds re-imagines second world war history through a group of soldiers bent on killing Nazis. Though the film doesn't do for war films what Kill Bill did for Kung Fu movies, it does offer us Col. Hans Landa, a film Nazi of gargantuan proportions, sure to go down in history as one of Hollywood's greatest villains.

Christoph Waltz bears mentioning, as his portrayal of Landa evokes as much charisma and charm as it does evil and menace. Never has a simple request for a glass of milk so chillingly foreshadowed such doom and gloom. Waltz speaks four languages in the film, and his ease at which he cunningly inspires fear and nervousness in each of them makes him all the more memorable.

The film has some amazing set pieces, (the film's first scene is an instant classic), which will be long remembered more than the sum of its parts. i may seemingly be too harsh in judging this film, as i do not think it ranks among Tarantino's five all-time best. In all honesty, i left the movie somewhat disappointed. That's not to say that Inglourious Basterds is not one of the year's best films. It's just, like Scorcese, Tarantino has given us such exemplary work, that to judge them against anything other than their own portfolio is to give serious short shrift to their cinematic measuring stick.

Grade: A-

Funny People

2009-08-26T22:28:00.003-04:00

Directed by:Judd Apatow

Starring:Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman

Running Time: 2h 26min

Not very funny. Am i the only one who thinks Apatow is overrated? Sure, the resurgence of dramedy for adults that he's leading has been refreshing, but someone has to show the guy how to cut a movie down to a suitable length. He's not Scorcese! All the actors are fine, but a documentary that shows what life is like for a stand-up comedian off stage would provide more interesting drama, (and probably a LOT more laughs) than this film delivers. Should have stuck to one or two simple themes, as this film gets too crowded and off base when it comes to its tone and content.

Grade: C

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

2009-08-26T22:27:00.002-04:00

Directed by: Stephen Sommers

Starring: Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid, Sienna Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ray Park, Byung-hun Lee, Christopher Eccleston, Jonathan Pryce, Rachel Nichols

Running Time: 1h 58min

Sommers knows how to make fun, silly movies. This one is pure guilty pleasure. i have two words for you: FREAKIN' NINJAS!!! Watching Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow go toe to toe is worth the price of admission alone. Throwaway gags, decent action and explosions, over the top line delivery ("Knowing is half the battle"). What more could you ask for?

Grade: B+

A Perfect Getaway

2009-08-15T16:00:00.012-04:00

Directed by: David Twohy

Starring: Steve Zahn, Timothy Olyphant, Milla Jovovich, Kiele Sanchez

Running Time: 1h 37min

A Perfect Getaway is one of those genre films that you really can't find too much fault in. Its small premise and beautiful locale make for your typical paradise thriller. All the formula is there: beautiful newlywed couples, one couple appears a little dangerous, there's a killer on the loose, isolated location, intermittent cell phone service. You know the drill. Still, there's something fun about watching these types of films, and Zahn and Olyphant both have that campy quality that works for shits and giggles. There's not a lot of doubt with foreshadowing that is basically foretelling, but it's fun to go along for the ride. Twohy is an able handed director, having made low budget, low concept, high tension thrillers before (Pitch Black) with just the right amount of humour. This one's no exception.

Grade: C

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

2009-08-15T16:00:00.010-04:00

Directed by: Mark Waters

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster, Amanda Walsh

Running Time: 1h 40min

There's something about Matthew McConaughey that just allows him to click with many a female lead. In Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, his umpteenth romantic comedy, all with similar premises, character traits, settings, occupations, etc., the list goes on and on, McConaughey manages to pull off another decent, likable rom com. This time around he gets a lot of help from the very likable Garner, who has a way of retaining her dignity in less than stellar roles and films. She is every bit McConaughey's equal and adds an element of decency and integrity to the movie.

Two decent leads does not a good movie make, and the supporting cast listed above are what finally bring this movie above passing for me. Chabert and Walsh are funny enough, in a bizarre train wreck sort of way, but it's Michael Douglas stealing the show, relishing his golden years in a ghostly performance that evokes his best roles as a philandering Hefnerite. Meyer and Forster are always reliable, decent actors in their own right, and with a cast that's performing up to par, the movie does not slide into formulaic staleness. It's more of a freshly baked formula; a familiar taste with a subtle elegance to it. Sure, the plot is telegraphed from start to finish, and the lines can be seen from a mile away, but when you have actors like these delivering it all, it makes it worth the while. Somewhat worth the while.

Grade: C

The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-08-15T15:59:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Robert Schwentke

Starring: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Ron Livingston, Jane McLean

Running Time: 1h 47min

What with the multiple instances of the drive-in reel overheating and stopping the film, along with the movie's own stops and starts and bouts of inconsistency, The Time Traveler's Wife made me feel like I was jumping through time, lost, confused, bewildered, uninterested, perplexed and indifferent. For a movie to make claims for a love that transcends space and time, there needs to be some reason for this couple to actually love each other. Sadly, there is none, and there is little chemistry for the audience to care for. In fact, the whole premise that Bana's character visits McAdams as a young child carries with it a creepy pedophilia premise that i don't want to explore. Not only is it downright unsettling, it's simply boring.

Grade: D+

Bruno

2009-08-08T00:58:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Larry Charles

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten, Ron Paul, Paula Abdul

Running Time: 1h 21min

Every bit as funny as Borat, but in extremely different ways. Bruno shocks more than it evokes laughter. The preposterous situations and amazing ability of Sacha Baron Cohen to remain in character during the insanity that ensues offers up plenty of laughs. However, Bruno angers civilians and us as viewers more often than not, whereas the Borat character elicited sympathy more than anger or hatred.

The social commentary that Cohen creates through these outlandish characters is really what powers the comedy and establishes the humour. If there weren't outrageously homophobic (and in the case of Borat, xenophobic) people in this world, there would be no reason to unleash the likes of Bruno upon them.

It's sad to contemplate the danger that Cohen put his life in, on multiple occasions, throughout this film. Just when you think an ambulance is going to be needed, the film cuts away to another place, another scene, another provocative situation. At a lean 84 minutes, one wonders what the outtakes consist of. Is it merely Cohen breaks character (such a thought seems ludicrous, his concentration is so superb) or the laughs stop? Or do the homophobes reveal too much of themselves that the movie doesn't want to embarrass them (anymore than they have already embarrassed themselves)?

This is certainly not a film for everyone. Even those who liked Borat may be turned off by this one. It's amazing that some people's homophobia runs deeper than their ignorance. Depending on your level, this is either a hilarious expose of societal norms and stereotypes, or a repulsive display of sex and nudity. My level must be set high on the tolerance scale.

Grade: A-

Push

2009-07-20T16:07:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Paul McGuigan

Starring: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou

Running Time: 1h 51min

Surprisingly effective piece of sci-fi comic booky mayhem. Push takes an X-Men or Heroes type of premise, ordinary people bestowed with extraordinary powers, and delivers an action movie with enough twists, turns and uncertainty to keep the viewer interested.

The special effects are neither groundbreaking nor breathtaking, but they serve the story effectively and play realistically enough that they do the story justice. Seeing Fanning play her age takes a little getting used to but she shows that she has enough spunk to carry her through her teens and most certainly into an honest to goodness, great actress, in the same manner of a Jodie Foster or Natalie Portman. Her presence drives the film and gives the entire movie enough dramatic punch and sly line delivery to merit a passing grade. Add to that a real chemistry between Fanning and Evans, and not in a creepy way, but more of a sisterly brotherly manner, and Push strikes a nice balance of action and drama.

The romance element doesn't really fit, but there's enough interesting action sequences and compelling back story to makes us temporarily forget the longing looks of the lovebirds. There's enough of a set up here to make for an interesting, medium budget weekly sci-fi series, and certainly enough to carry this pleasant surprise.

Grade: B+

The Hangover

2009-07-17T15:53:00.001-04:00

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Jeffrey Tambor

Running Time: 1h 40min

Some people are calling the smash summer success of The Hangover a surprise. I'm not sure why. There's a proven director of funny, adult themed but not necessarily adult rated (read: not raunchy but rather clever) comedy. There's solid comedic actors underplaying a creative, original script. And there's spirited cameos that provide more hilarity than you could possibly imagine when writing them.

Everything that's become cliche about Vegas and what has to happen in a movie set in Vegas is turned upside down. Just the 5 minutes of photographs that play during the end credits provides more laughs than your average Will Ferrell film (by average, i mean more recent). Like classic comedies that stand the test of time, The Hangover builds slowly, allowing gags and premises to pay off as the film progresses. The relative coolness and calm of Galifianakis steals the show, yet each and every actor on screen gets to savour their moments in the kind of reactionary, and not forced, comedy that produces a snowball effect of infectious laughter.

Definitely the year's best comedy.

Grade: A-

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-15T14:30:00.004-04:00

Directed by: David Yates

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Bonnie Wright, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton

Running Time: 2h 33min

As each year brings us closer to the finale of the Harry Potter film franchise, it seems each film becomes more and more anticipated. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is no exception. Anticipation was ramped up even more by delaying the release from Autumn 2008 to Summer 2009. Suffice to say, it was worth the wait.

The sixth Potter film breaks formula to some degree, as did the novel. Sure, there's a new teacher, Horace Slughorn, played hilariously by Broadbent. However, Slughorn does not take over the defence against the dark arts position, as that spot is finally granted to Snape. Though i would have enjoyed seeing some more of Snape in the classroom, it is a treat to watch, once again, some of Britain's finest actors inhabit Hogwarts, as the adult casting has always been the secret to the success of the films. Broadbent ensures that his performance is a memorable one, with some clever line delivery and even funnier facial expressions.

Indeed, this film continues the elevation of maturity that began with the third installment, as the content, themes, and tone take on a decidedly darker feel. This is not only evidenced in the darker colour palate of the art direction, but also the way drugs and alcohol are depicted in humourous circumstances. Much of the film's humour is found when potions and spells work overtime on the adolescent hormones. These moments are the source of some great laughs and help to off set the heavy drama that consumes most of the film.

Which is really what marks this film from the others that precede it. Half-Blood Prince is the most dramatic of the bunch. It is skimpy on the action, save for a few scenes that were made solely for the film. It takes a turn towards Lord of the RIngs style fantasy when Harry and Dumbledore set out to sea, a scene that is equally powerful on film as it was on the page. The filmmakers must be commended on their ability to translate the source material so that it manages to entertain, while at the same time advance the plot and appeal to readers of the Rowling series. After waiting this long, it's an amazing feat that they did not disappoint.

Grade: A

Star Trek

2009-07-10T19:16:00.012-04:00

Directed by: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Chris Pine,Zachary Quinto,Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Winona Ryder

Running Time: 2h 07min

I have to admit. I am a Star Trek virgin (insert your own punchline here). I have never, i repeat, never seen a Star Trek movie, let alone a Star Trek television episode. Not a one. Any of the generations (though i must admit i did stop to watch a few segments of The Next Generation but never lasted through two commercial breaks). This hasn't prevented me from learning a large amount of Star Trek lore and parody from your average immersion in popular culture, so i wasn't going into this film completely blind, just virginal.

Which is to say, i am part of the target audience that J.J. Abrams' reboot is designed for. He has crafted a Star Trek for fans, and non-fans alike, a starting point for the two to launch off through space. And what a take off it is! Inspired casting fuels the film, while clever dialogue and crafty action sequences propel it along at a fun and frolicky pace.

There's plenty of nod, nod, wink, winks (probably more than i noticed, not being a knowledgeable Trekkie) but also a feeling of freshness and excitement. It really truly feels like something so old and established has been dusted off and given a new coat of paint, so that you barely remember the original that existed. I say this in a good way. The complete opposite of George Lucas' disastrous attempt to make Star Wars new, Abrams gives the new Trek a style and flavour that seems completely current, while fashioning a story and tone that feels true to the original science fiction franchise and its subsequent incarnations. I look forward to further installments and I may just learn the Vulcan hand signs in due time.

Grade: B+

Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen

2009-07-10T19:16:00.011-04:00

Directed by: Michael Bay

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Turturro

Running Time: 2h 30min

Um, why did i go see this exactly? My wife made the comment that i looked completely unimpressed and offended the entire time watching this. Bigger and dumber than the original. I may just sell my old eighties toys if this keeps up. Gotta love that cast though. They really chew the scenery, knowing that their time on screen is just so there's something to cut away to between F/X shots. Not that it matters when there's more than enough jump cuts and rapid fire edits to outdo the entire French New Wave movement. This is what those auteurs would have referred to as, Le Crap.

Grade: D

Taken

2009-07-08T13:17:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Pierre Morel

Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser, Katie Cassidy, Famke Janssen

Running Time: 1h 33min

A nicely paced little thriller buoyed by an intense performance by Neeson. Taken takes every father's worst nightmare and turns it into a revenge plot that's only real if your typical dad is ex-CIA or some other covert operating kick ass unit. The action is raw, the dialogue sparse, and the storytelling kept nice and simple. The thrill is in watching Neeson play a man consumed with only one thing: save his daughter. Another fantastic action thriller from Luc Besson and friends.

Grade: B+

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2009-07-07T13:16:00.002-04:00

Directed by: P.J. Hogan

Starring: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack, John Goodman

Running Time: 1h 44min

Inspired casting makes this film a delectable treat. Isla Fisher is the most adorably funny actress to come along in a long, long time. i'm talking comedic chops worthy of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. Her physical comedy is unmatched, as her looks and glances elicit more laughs than most actresses entire life's work. Fisher's timing is impeccable, and alongside such trusted supporting players like Cusack and Goodman, the chemistry is just spot on. Dancy makes a good romantic foil for Fisher, and the two play off each other well. Still, this is Fisher's movie and though it does follow a formulaic outline that does little to save it from Bridget Jones comparisons, Fisher's performance alone makes the film worth watching. A small step above the rest of the genre.

Grade: B

Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

2009-07-01T20:16:00.003-04:00

Directed by: Carlos Saldanha and Mike Thurmeier

Starring: John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah, Ray Romano, Simon Pegg

Running Time: 1h 34min

This installment of the Ice Age series proves the franchise has overstayed its welcome. The highlight of the films has always been the little squirrel Scrat, and his overzealous quest to secure a nut. These ingenious little cartoon segments work extremely well as advertising fodder and short films, but when the characters are stretched out to feature length, and then sequelled two times over, the material runs rather thin.

Roger Ebert claims this "the best film of the franchise yet". i claim Roger Ebert "well past his prime". He completely missed the mark on this one (and several other films this summer). This is basically The Land Before Time with other prehistoric animals thrown in. i'm actually quite fond of Leguizamo, but his voicing of the character Sid gets very sickening only minutes in. SImon Pegg tries to save the film as a new character Buck, and his inspired work barely manages to make this film worth watching. The 3D doesn't really add anything special to the film, which makes it all the more disappointing. i'm all for more Scrat adventures, (maybe as short films before Fox films), but as for the rest of these characters, banish them to the stone age, please.

Grade: C

Up

2009-05-31T23:51:00.008-04:00

Directed by: Pete Docter and Bob Peterson

Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo, John Ratzenberger

Running Time: 1h 36min

Okay, i have to admit, i cried when i saw Up. Now, there were some mitigating circumstances, but it truly speaks to the power of a synergy of montage animation and eloquent score. If there's anything truly remarkable about Pixar's latest triumph, it is the understated musical score by Michael Giacchino that strikes stirring emotional chords. The slow notes from the piano, coupled with the images of the lead characters at the beginning of the film create the most emotionally packed five minutes i have ever witnessed in an animated film, or quite possibly any film for that matter. From that moment forward, we realize that Pixar is taking us in a direction that isn't typical Disney fare, though the cute factor and comic relief comes in plentiful amounts.

Despite a darkness and menace that is rare in films of this nature, Up is through and through a crowd pleaser. The unlikely relationship between old man Carl and boy scout Russell drive the film, but the zany premise of a balloon powered flying house and other creatures endowed with technology (an invention pulled from real life--believe it or not) give it a fantasy feel. Not as consistently brilliant from start to finish as, say, Ratatouille (few films are), Up is still a worthy addition to Pixar's ever expanding catalogue of classics.

Grade: A

Earth

2009-04-26T21:07:00.003-04:00

Directed by: Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield

Starring: James Earl Jones, Polar Bears, Elephants, Whales

Running Time: 1h 30min

Basically a rehash mishmash of the Planet Earth documentaries from the BBC, Earth is a remarkable achievement for several reasons. First, the stunning photography is breath taking on DVD, and only ten times more spectacular on the big screen. Secondly, taking the narration reigns from Sir Richard Attenborough, James Earl Jones' bass heavy voice makes the nature photography all the more appealing to audiences. Finally, the mere fact that Disney's promotional power and marketing prowess has resulted in flocks and flocks of families heading to theatres to see content that was readily available for sometime and probably already seen in some form is just phenomenal. i'm pleased that audiences have embraced the documentary format and that images of Earth's greatest gifts may have a lifelong impact on our future conservationists.

Grade: A

Seven Pounds

2009-04-26T21:03:00.005-04:00

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino

Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper

Running Time: 2h 03min

Muccino and Smith team up once again to give us a film with dramatic punch, much like they did with The Pursuit of Happyness a few years back. Unlike that film, Seven Pounds is not based on true events, but has a stunning mysterious element that gives it emotional weight (no pun intended). An interesting premise that speaks to the powerful pull of redemption, the movie reveals a little bit at a time so you can piece together Smith's character's motivation. Unfortunately, when a movie plays its cards close to its sleeve like this one does, our minds can conjure up some more interesting premises that lead us to be disappointed with the actual end result of the film. Certainly a love it or hate it film, all depending on how you view Smith's character and his actions.

Grade: B+

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-04-26T20:57:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan

Starring: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Freida Pinto

Running Time: 2h 00min

Definitely a film that will stay with you, Slumdog Millionaire focuses on a part of the world we rarely get to see, with an immediacy and vibrancy that compels the viewer to become engaged in this underdog story. Using non-professional actors from shoots in real settings, director Boyle returns to his roots as a filmmaker filled with energy, spirit, and intensity.

Scaled down and minimal in budget, the economics lend the film a tenderness and realism that works to involve the audience. It's no surprise that the film rode its Audience favourite award at the Toronto Film Festival to Oscar victory. Unfortunately, like previous Oscar winners, the hype doesn't match the film itself, though if it was a self-discovered gem, i could see how movie goers would trumpet this through word of mouth. Very gritty, packed with emotional scenes and heart rendering heartbreak, Slumdog Millionaire is a sad yet beautiful portrait of Indian sweethearts.

Grade: A-

Monsters vs. Aliens

2009-03-28T18:14:00.008-04:00

Directed by: Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert, Paul Rudd, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Poehler, Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski

Running Time: 1h 34min

Just look at the names in the cast for Monsters vs. Aliens and you'd expect a laugh riot with an insane laugh a minute ratio. Not the case. The only one providing consistent laughs is Rogen's character BOB. In fact, most of the characters don't get fully realized, randomly inserting themselves into a thinly held together plot that doesn't delve deep enough and wraps up way too quickly.

But who am i kidding? This is a flick for kids. So, in that sense, it does entertain, especially in 3D. The action is quick and the visuals literally eye-popping (thankfully not our eyes). However, there's a story element missing and any attempts to make the characters cohesively gel and co-exist in a film that has little interest in setting up situations leaves us underwhelmed by the end of it all. This movie would probably work nice as a weekly cartoon series, but for big screen thrills, it doesn't measure up to its ginormic size potential.

Grade: B-

Choke

2009-03-28T18:14:00.006-04:00

Directed by: Clark Gregg

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Clark Gregg, Bijou Phillips

Running Time: 1h 32min

I seriously thought that the book Choke was unfilmable. In the Lolita sense of an unfilmable book due to the thematic content and tonal quality that seems impossible to capture outside of one's mind. Yet, director, adaptor, actor Clark Gregg makes it a labour of love, and succeeds in crafting a film worthy of the followers of Chuck Palahniuk's work. Fans will not be disappointed. Low on budget, high on fulfilling the spirit of the novel, which is categorized for library purposes under the themes of "Sex addiction. Alzheimer's Disease. Religion." Only Chuck could write a novel that pulls those together. Surprisingly, Rockwell, Huston and Macdonald manage to pull it all off. Well casted, well portrayed.

Grade: B+

Watchmen

2009-03-21T01:08:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Zack Snyder

Starring:Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino

Running Time: 2h 42min

Visually impressive, Watchmen continues a strong line of comic book adaptations that impeccably capture the tone, look and feel of their source material. More astoundingly, Snyder's version manages to fulfill expectations for one of the greatest graphic novels of the 20th century.

Snyder manages to do this by casting some great role players over big name actors, allowing the viewer to become immersed in the storyline. It's truly awesome how he sets up many shots to directly reflect the artwork of the graphic novel, giving us a film that recreates key details with much precision and accuracy. All the actors are remarkably restrained, as Akerman, Morgan, Haley, and Wilson will certainly have their performances in this film be career highlights when all is said and done. i can't imagine how they could improve this film, as it is visually captivating and thematically enticing, by faithfully sticking to the groundbreaking work it came from.

Grade: A+

One Week

2009-03-16T00:55:00.001-04:00

Directed by: Michael McGowan

Starring: Joshua Jackson, Liane Balaban, Campbell Scott, Gord Downie

Running Time: 1h 34min

I can still hear the Sam Roberts song that has become synonymous with this film, a road movie love letter to Canada (with a disregard for the East Coast--every bit as beautiful but apparently not in line with this film's direction). It's a classic marriage of movie and music that becomes a defining memory of each medium.

Not since Goin' Down the Road has a film been driven to be more "Canadian" in its unabashed depiction of Canadian travel and imagery. This is opposed to the more typical disguising of Canadian landmarks in Canadian films trying to appear American, or to an even greater extent, American films shooting in Canada that try to disguise Canadian cities, while neglecting the huge Sam the Record Man spinning records lights in the background.) Indeed, One Week picks up exactly where Garth and Gord and Fiona and Alice left off in Toronto, taking Joshua Jackson's character on a cross road adventure as far west as he can go in Canada.

The premise is universal and philosophical. What would you do if you were told you had one week to live? In true Canadian fashion, the film takes a low key approach to the lead character's response, as he reexamines his life. Narration by Campbell Scott elevates the film, as he is the Canadian equivalent of Morgan Freeman, a voice like no other. His comedic reading coupled with Jackson's subtle acting generate a lot of non-verbal emotion, tension, and revelation.

Though the film takes a few shortcuts towards its conclusion, the old adage, "less is more" applies in this instance. Oftentimes, Canadians film come up short due to budget constraints or the like, but this film's abruptness works, as it leaves the viewer with more to think about, more to contemplate should we find ourselves in the lead character's shoes. It begs us to take less for granted, and to get out and see this great, big, beautiful country of ours. Not a perfect film by any means, but a satisfying slice of Canadiana that is best seen in theatres, if not in real life.

Grade: B+

Let the Right One In

2009-03-15T20:14:00.004-04:00

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson

Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson

Running Time: 1h 55min

Spooky, enthralling, and everything a young teenage vampire romance should be. Let the Right One In does for the vampire genre what Ginger Snaps did for the werewolf film. Playing the premise very real, on a shoestring budget, gives the supernatural element of the genre an immediacy and rawness that makes a believer out of anyone. Focusing on the character of the vampire, and what it would mean for someone bitten at youth, the film situates the story in a realistic setting, filled with real teenage problems. In fact, this is more a film about bullying and fitting in, that just so happens to have a vampire character.

The two young leads are irrepressible in their ability to compel us to watch and root for them. Despite its darkness, the film yearns to be uplifting, even with its stunning, disturbing conclusion that is open to interpretation and mixed emotions. As all vampire films are about love, eroticism, and carnal behaviour, by positioning this one within the age where youth is discovering and uncomfortable with it all, allows for some interesting, unexplored territory.

Thought provoking, suspenseful, and eerily paced, Let the Right One In is a refreshing take on a genre that has had its fair share of attention and become somewhat tired and overblown. Instead, this treatment is like a "Year One" take, more akin to classic Vampire lore and film, than modern goth lite vampire chic. Definitely a film that will stick in your mind.

Grade: A-

Hotel for Dogs

2009-03-14T20:22:00.001-04:00

Directed by:Thor Freudenthal

Starring: Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Don Cheadle, Lisa Kudrow

Running Time: 1h 40min

Not as syrupy and silly as i thought it would be, Hotel for Dogs is actually a lost art. A live action family film that doesn't pander to its young audience, yet remains entertaining and uplifting. Cheadle adds a nice dramatic presence to the film and supplies some of the bigger laughs. The young leads are likeable, and the dogs don't become too cute or too much of a focus, hence distraction. The story remains front and center and some of the inventive designs of the titular hotel conjures up Pee Wee Herman or Wallace and Grommit. Still, i can't grade the film much higher, as it delivers on expectations, while offering few, if any surprises. A decent rental for families with young children.

Grade: C+

Coraline

2009-02-08T17:47:00.004-05:00

Directed by: Henry Selick

Starring:Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, Robert Bailey Jr., Ian McShane

Running Time: 1h 41min

Selick has done it again, crafting an animated film that is equally entertaining for adults, children, and art school film buffs. When a project based on the youth novel by Neil Gaiman is taken on by someone as equally skilled at disturbing yet accessible work, one can breathe a sigh of relief. However, the expectations become huge, and the chance of disappointment quickly emerges. Yet, after seeing Coraline, in 3-D no less, that sigh quickly becomes an exasperated awe.

True to the tone of Gaiman's work, Coraline looks every bit as stunning as it reads. Though a little hesitant to bring my young daughter to see it, i was hoping it wouldn't provoke the nightmares the way Inkheart has (for both myself and my daughter). On the opposite end, i was hoping the movie version wouldn't kiddie down the darkness underlying Gaiman's tome of childhood disappointment. Thankfully, the movie delights all ages, with mesmerizing set pieces that tickle the tiny eyes in the audience, while tantalizing the adult brain that attempts to wrap their head around the stunning animation. The brisk third act seems to happen so fast with such fabulous art work that it begs to be immediately watched once again.

The voice casting is good, and the musical numbers exquisite. It was a delight to hear They Might Be Giants, for both young and old, while the images set to the score brought the entire film to fantastic heights. Groundbreakingly designed, with a nod to classic 2-D animation beauty, Coraline will definitely find a place in my Blu-Ray collection. I'm just not sure who will want to watch it more, me or my daughter?

Grade: A

Inkheart

2009-02-01T17:42:00.005-05:00

Directed by: Iain Softley

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Eliza Bennett, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Rafi Gavron, Andy Serkis

Running Time: 1h 46min

Perfectly cast, yet so disturbingly wrong. Straight out of the pages of the deeply involving series of children's books, Inkheart begs to be translated to film, yet makes such a feat very difficult due to the elements that make the book such an interesting read.

First off, Inkheart is a reader's read. A book for book lovers. The allusions the author makes to classic children's literature give much pleasure to a well read book enthusiast. Unfortunately, this doesn't make for good movie making. Instead, the talent involved in Inkheart, the movie, would have done well by referencing classic children's films, in lieu of the classic novels quoted in the text. Apart from the tornado sequence that evokes The Wizard of Oz, there isn't a lot of clever winks and nods happening.

Rather, it feels more like Fraser can't escape his Mummy series casting, as he plays reluctant hero to a series of computer generated FX, which is a shame, because he is well cast as Mo, the "Silvertongue" that reads books to life. Serkis makes a great villain and Bennett is wonderful in the lead role of Mo's daughter, a very plucky and tough heroine to nail down, and part of the reason why the book works so well. Bettany is smart casting for Dustfinger, as he can play both sides of the fence with equal skill and clever dialogue delivery. The coup de grace is the casting of recent Oscar winner Mirren, who can slip into the skin of ornery Elinor with much delight.

Yet, despite all the spot-on casting, none of the performances materialize, as each actor is boiled down to bare characteristics, with just enough screen time to barely string along the narrative. Suspense is limited, and key strengths of the book (effortless shifts in narrative perspective, balancing elements of old and new settings and surroundings, slow reveal of character, motive, and history) fall by the wayside. Had the adaptation been given the care, love and attention as The Lord of the Rings trilogy or the Harry Potter films, Inkheart would have been a real triumph and the birth of a new trilogy based on a child's classic. Instead, we are left wishing for something more.

Grade: D

Ghost Town

2009-01-05T14:01:00.003-05:00

Directed by: David Koepp

Starring:Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Téa Leoni, Bill Campbell, Kristen Wiig, Alan Ruck

Running Time: 1h 42min

A nice introduction of Gervais for film audiences, this typical romantic comedy benefits from the saucy, sarcastic nature of Gervais. It is nice that the talented Brit is able to navigate through the film with his usual dry wit, while delivering a leading man performance in a stale genre. This allows him to elevate the material with some big laughs, as some of his zingers manage to fly under the radar. Kinnear and Leoni offer excellent foils for him, as they are equally talented when it comes to reacting for comedic effect, while being no slouches at comedic timing themselves. Definitely worth the rental and quite possibly revisited again and again, just to delight in Gervais' line delivery.

Grade: B

The Top 10 Films of 2008

2009-01-01T14:00:00.017-05:00

What a year 2008 shaped up to be in the world of movie making. This was perhaps the first time i've ever had the top 5 films nailed down by the mid point of the year, as nothing was going to change my love for these films. In fact, they quickly became the first 5 Blu-ray discs purchased in my household, confirming and reconfirming their greatness through the excellent visual display and the informative extras included on the discs. Three of the films i actually saw more than once in their theatrical release, as they were even better the second time around than what the other screens had to offer.

The only trick was narrowing down the final 5 films of the year, culled mostly from 2007 carry overs that i was able to catch on DVD. Perhaps it is this inability to catch flicks in their most fantastic format (the big screen) which skews my perception from time to time. In 2008, i saw nearly half as many movies (39) as in 2007 (61), and that still includes TMN premieres and DVD releases. However, the films of 2008 seemed so much better than the year prior, maybe due to the results of quality over quantity. Believe me, i still saw my share of sad sack films (the hazards of having a toddler susceptible to persistent advertising and a complete lack of any imagination in most studio attempts at children's films). Granted, if it weren't for the small fry, i probably would have missed out on some of the best 2008 had to offer. And with that being said,

The Top 10 Movies of 2008 are...

10. Juno

The little indie that could for 2007 (one of the first i saw in a theatre in 2008), Juno got a lot of praise and Oscar attention, as the independent entry with all the critical push behind it. Often times, these types of films are overblown, over hyped, and overpraised just so the movie going mass will actually go and see them. By the time they come out on video, the hype has reached such gigantic proportions, that the usual response from renters is, "Mmah, I don't know what all the hype was about. It was good, but not that good." Well, Juno was, and is, that good. Not just for getting the teen dialogue (somewhat) right (I credit Page's delivery over Diablo Cody's script--which gets a little too precious at times), but for tackling some very big moral issues at the level at which it happens, to a small town girl and her immediate friends and family. The supporting cast brings a lot, but Page's performance is a real tour de force.

9. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Funny, irreverent, unbelievably bizarre, in one of those "you can't make this stuff up" kind of ways, The King of Kong is a documentary about the world record for the arcade version of Donkey Kong. The "players" are set up wonderfully as if they were wee Mario the plumber and King Kong himself. The challenger practices in his garage while his child screams from inside, and the reigning champion goes about his celebrity filled life, like he's King of his castle. What lends credence to this chase of an 80s record is the number of people hung up and impacted by the chase of the record itself, from the self-proclaimed referee to the entourage of geeks that follow the King and his record, to the family that supports the challenger, this is a human interest story told as a David vs. Goliath tale. If you never could care less before, after a few minutes spent in this record obsessed world, you'll be rooting for the little guy in no time!

8. Once

Even quieter than Juno, Once is what real independent film making is about. Non-actors, getting their roles for their musical abilities, end up making sweet music and an even sweeter film. The power of song propels these two strangers to confront their own fears, doubts and desires. Made with barely any budget at all, it's the love of a simple tune, sung with such heart that breathes so much life into this tale that you can't help but be uplifted. To watch these two on their journey is to spend some time with the street busker and flower peddler, as their dreams become our dreams. Nothing was more pleasurable than watching these two accept their Oscars at last year's ceremony for giving us the gift of their song.

7. Shoot 'em Up

My, oh-too-brief review of this film (click on the film titles to go to the original reviews) really says it all. As superlative as a review can get, this silly, appropriately named Shoot 'em up, takes the begging to be spoofed action genre and catapults it to the most ridiculous extremes imaginable. Even the stars are superlative, with Clive Owen's coolness so profound he makes carrots look carnal and evil. Not to be out done, Monica Bellucci brings the role of brunette bombshell to new heights, and Paul Giamatti makes all other screen villains seem like the Purple Pie Man by comparison. Once you've committed to going along for this ride, you won't be disappointed by the extremes they will go to surprise and shock you. You'll be too busy laughing to care how preposterous it all is. Check your brain at the door.

6. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Lush in production design, lavish in costume, and larcenous in acting talent, it's amazing that this Tim Burton musical didn't sweep up more Oscar gold, however, given it's serial killer subject matter, i'm amazed it got the attention it did. All the leads do not disappoint, but even more so, their singing is quite well suited for the score. Sacha Baron Cohen is especially good, stealing his scene from Depp, being part Bugs Bunny from the Rabbit of Seville and part Ricky Bobby villain, Jean Girard. This may not be for everyone's tastes, but if your tastes tend to be tailored to the darker side of things, this is a tasty delight to be savoured. Definitely better than the best pies in London.

5. Iron Man

This super hero flick has all the right things going for it. Spot on casting by director Favreau placed some of the most talented (yet underrated) actors in a summer F/X film and allowed them to do some of their best work. Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, and Robert Downey Jr. are all superb, and they even manage to make Gwenyth Paltrow come across as sweet and charming. Unafraid to shy away from what makes Iron Man a flawed superhero, Favreau gives us a super hero film that is fun, dangerous, and unexpected. Perhaps the best super hero movie this year. Or is it?

4. Tropic Thunder

Director/writer/actor Ben Stiller went out on a limb, once again, creating what very easily could have been a career killing comedy. Instead, his lampooning of Hollywood from his insider angle, actually gave us a war film that we wanted to watch this year. Like Zoolander and The Cable Guy, Stiller's risks can easily spell disaster, or comedic gold. In Tropic Thunder, there's more gold than ever, supplied by some of the most unlikely sources. Jack Black channelling Farley and Belushi. Obscenely funny. Best Tom Cruise cameo since Magnolia. Hilariously obscene. But the coup d'etat has to be Robert Downey Jr.'s OTHER career performance of the summer (even more fun than he was in Iron Man) as an Auzzie actor (think Russell Crowe) so method that he undergoes skin pigment surgery to play a Black man. What could surely have set cinema back about a century, instead gives us the best comedic performance of any actor in this century. Downright, gut wrenchingly hilarious, without seeming obscene. A must see if there ever was. That's why it's in our Blu-ray collection, and it's true, Kirk Lazarus doesn't break character until AFTER the DVD commentary.

3. WALL-E

At first watch, I actually wasn't all that impressed. I was expecting a more riotous, fun and silly time from PIXAR, much like they accomplished with movies like Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. Instead, this is a film not unlike Finding Nemo, and not surprisingly, from the same director. Similar in tone and scope, WALL-E takes us into a bleak future of an abandoned Earth, sole for the cleaning operative of the titular robot. His daily life passes by like any other, until he meets his technological counterpart, EVE, sent to search for life on other planets. The story seems simple, a love story on the surface, but the precision and execution is anything but simple. What PIXAR achieves is a near silent movie masterpiece, that delights and enthralls anyone from 2 to 102. The animation is spectacular, the minimal cast extremely effective, as is the wizardry of the sound and direction. This may just be the best animated film of the year. Or is it?

2. The Dark Knight

All the reviews that are calling this "the greatest super hero movie ever made" are really doing The Dark Knight a disservice. It is getting pigeon holed as the best of a genre, when in fact, it is perhaps the best of a medium. Dark and brooding, complex and compelling, director Christopher Nolan recreates every aspect of what makes the comic book franchise so superior to its peers. The film marries the best of the comic book lore (no better villains, and subsequently, performances, can compare to the film's Joker and Two-Face) with Nolan's own gift for subtlety layering his films with moralistic dilemmas and psychological underpinnings. The talent involved cannot be understated (Oldman, Freeman, Caine play supporting roles that show you why they are Hall of Famers if there ever were any) yet the Bat remains central to it all, and Bale does fine giving us both sides of the Batman/Bruce Wayne character. Each act brings dramatic tension, superbly shot action, and intense moments that seem relevant to our world, while firmly placed in the mythical fabled city of Gotham. So beautiful, it makes me want to cry, because I can't imagine it getting any better than this. A tough act to follow. Or to beat, for that matter. Which brings us to...

The number one film of 2008 is...

1. Kung Fu Panda

WHAT!?!?, you say? A cartoon about a panda who does kung fu? Number one film? Better than The Dark Knight? Don't knock it, until you've tried it. Though it may not be cinematically better than The Dark Knight, Kung Fu Panda, for all intents and purposes, is my favourite film of 2008. Remember, this is MY list. And i love Kung Fu. And i love to be surprised. And each and every time i sit down and watch this with my wife and daughter, i am continually surprised at just how good it is. How the animated characters actually mimic the kung fu styles they are created after (or is that the other way around?). How awesome the awesomeness is of the awesome action scenes. How the gags and one liners manage a chuckle each time i hear them, not unlike the best Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker films. But most importantly, i am amazed at how faithful the film is to a classic Kung Fu storyline, complete with every element of the genre, yet in an animated form that allows for the fighting to be just that much more awesome. Sure, many of the other films on this list may appeal to others more, have more prestige or credibility. But for me, the most rewatchable, the most entertaining, and the most wonderfully surprising film for my entire family this year, without a doubt, is the Kung Fu Bear. Best animated film. Best film period.

Honourable mentions: The Darjeeling Limited, Balls of Fury, American Gangster, Horton Hears a Who, No Country for Old Men, Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa, Gone Baby Gone, I Am Legend, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Incredible Hulk, The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Bolt (both in 3-D). All worth renting.

And now, the 5 Worst movies of 2008 are...

5. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The exact opposite of Kung Fu Panda, this film was a total letdown, an event that failed to be eventful, a franchise that failed to deliver on the franchise's promise. A movie sequel so anticipated and anxiously awaited that it was the biggest disappointment since the second coming of Star Wars. At least Harrison Ford wasn't involved in that Lucas fiasco. Shame on you, Ford, for allowing Lucas (and Spielburg for that matter) to trash yet another beloved treasure from our collective childhood, to the point where we don't even care anymore. Hell, i wouldn't have minded if they just cast LaBeouf as Indy himself and went in a new direction. At least my expectations wouldn't have been crushed.

4. Wanted

A film that wanted to be so cool, that you could almost hear the cool points being counted. Or was that the seconds ticking by, as "bullet-time" after "bullet-time" from the Matrix was revisited in Fight Club wanna-be narration, while sucking the life out of the fine pairing of Jolie and Freeman. Maybe with a better leading man, or a less earnest desire to be liked, Wanted could have succeeded in delivering on the promise of its trailer. Instead, it was more like Sally Field's bridesmaid, reminding us of the films we liked, we really, really liked, better than this one.

3. Beverly Hills Chihuahua

So, two unexpected disappointments that looked promising in the number four and five slots. Number three, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, had stinker written all over it before i even walked into the theatre. Just read the title. Taco Bell ads have more cinematic integrity and comedic promise. I had absolutely no expectations for this film, other than inane dialogue synced to canines that resemble rats more than dogs. So how bad could it get? Believe me, despite my limited (nay, zero) expectations, Beverly Hills Chihuahua managed to be insulting to entire ethnic groups, the audience's intelligence, and several different species. Quite an accomplishment if you ask me. It wasn't even that entertaining for the three year old. My new year's wish is that studios release something family oriented worth watching at least once every season in 2009. Otherwise, i'm taking my child to see Shoot 'em Up 2. It can't be anymore psychologically traumatizing or damaging as this sorry excuse for a film.

2. What Happens in Vegas

Back to disappointing flops that deserve better. Though Kutcher and Diaz aren't regularly recognized for providing the most thought provoking performances in films with serious subject matter, they have proven rather reliable in the romantic comedy genre. Diaz triumphed in There's Something About Mary, while Kutcher usually illicites laughs at his co-star's expense. Both actors have seen better days alongside Bernie Mac (Charlie's Angels 2 and Guess Who), so to have these two go toe to toe in a sadly contrived rehash of arranged couple comedies, while exhibiting zero chemistry and even less plausability as a couple, was real torture to watch. What is even more painful is that there were several directions this film could have gone, moments that seemed funnier in the viewer's imagination, that simply went unattempted or misguided, in favour of the lowest common denominator joke. In order to enjoy two people tussle, it helps to either want the two of them to fall in love in the end, or be able to root for one over the other. 15 minutes into this film, I wanted both of them to die and leave their Vegas winnings to someone more deserving. Like the chihuahua in Beverly Hills.

And the worst movie of 2008 is...

1. Across the Universe

This is everything the other worst films are and then some. Full of promise, like Indy and Wanted, this film's imagination and style is more than enough reason to enjoy it. Visually splendid and choreographed, it confirms the director, Julie Taymor, as a unique artist that paints with celluloid. Sadly, even the finest artist can do wrong when asked to paint with the materials of classic artists such as the Beatles. Normally, it would be a dream job to be handed the musical library of pop gods and given free reign to weave their magic with a cinematic lens. I mean, how can you screw up the fab four's timeless melodies? A chihuahua movie is screwed from the beginning. A Beatles film is almost impossible to screw up. But indeed, Taymor does everything in her power to desecrate and destroy all the power and pleasure found in the Beatles' catalogue. From weepy renditions of peppy tunes sung through whiney voices of good looking but bad singing actors to tripped out remixes of songs that need not be touched, ruined by honest to goodness rock stars (apparently Bono can perform acts that border on human rights violations), Across the Universe doesn't exactly fail on it's individual parts (though some moments are horrific). Rather, it's the sum of the parts, the overall arc of the film, that leaves us wanting for something more, something better, something more worthy of the film's soundtrack. Despite some good artistic flourishes and some decent renditions (Martin Luther and Dana Fuch's songs create new and bold stylistic impressions), as a whole, Across the Universe leaves a sour taste in our mouths and an infection in our ears. I wouldn't mind seeing this film again, with the volume turned down and the original versions blasting through my stereo. Now that would be something worth seeing and hearing, rather than the nauseating effect this film had on me, not unlike my eyes feasting on candy while my ears are slowly bleeding from an aural assault of sinful proportions. A visual feast, but an audio attrocity.

Dishonourable mentions: P.S. I Love You, Jumper, Igor, The Tale of Despereaux